Former Maldivian leader Mohamed Nasheed will face a run-off election in three weeks after his win in the presidential poll ended without a majority.

Mr Nasheed, the Maldives' first democratically elected president, was forced from office in February 2012 in what his supporters call a coup.

The turmoil tarnished the Indian Ocean archipelago's image as a tropical holiday paradise.

Mr Nasheed, running against three rivals, had secured 45.45 per cent of the total polled, according to the early results, Election Commissioner Fuwad Thowfeek told reporters.

He missed a required majority of 50 per cent, as the votes were split among the other three contenders.

Mr Nasheed's main rival, Abdulla Yameen, a half-brother of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled for 30 years and was considered a dictator by opponents and rights groups, polled 25.35 per cent, the preliminary results showed.

Gasim Ibrahim, a resort tycoon, media business owner and formerly a finance minister under Gayoom, secured 24.07 per cent, while Mr Nasheed's successor and incumbent leader Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik performed the worst, with just 5.13 per cent.

Mr Nasheed and Mr Yameen will face each other in a run-off election on September 28, the election commissioner confirmed.

The election commission will release final results of the first round on September 14.

Trouble in paradise

Mr Nasheed was forced to resign in February 2012 after mutinying police and military forces armed opposition demonstrators and gave him an ultimatum.

His removal sparked unruly protests by his supporters and a heavy-handed police crackdown, pushing the country into crisis.

A Commonwealth-backed commission of inquiry later concluded that Mr Nasheed's removal did not constitute a coup.

A rise in Islamist ideology, human rights abuses and lack of investor confidence after Waheed's government cancelled the country's biggest foreign investment project with India's GMR Infrastructure are among critical challenges the new president will face.

The Maldives held its first fully democratic polls in 2008 with Mr Nasheed defeating Mr Gayoom, an autocrat who was then Asia's longest-serving leader.